The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1887-09-14
The " HOOsier Cat"

for permission to take his cat. The
parental decree was positive; the cat
could not go. The boys heart was
sore at the thought of losing his pet,
and especially of leaving her homeless.
None of the neighbors wanted her; but
he resolved to find her home, and set
about the task with a determination
and knowledge of character that augured
well for his future success in life.
There was one man that he was sure
would shelter and care for his pussy,
for did he not love all animals and was
he not always kind to children? So he
astonished his mother with the question:
" As | cannot take pussy with me,
mayn't | send her to Mr.. Beecher?''
"Send her to Mr.. Beecher!" cried
the mother. "How much do you think
it would cost? / cannot pay the ex-
pressage of cat from Indiana to New
York"
But the boy answered.
81 guess Mr.. Beecher would not
mind paying the expressage. May |
write and ask him?" And the mother
said he might.
So the letter was written, telling, in
boyish fashion, of his love for his cat,
his grief at parting with her and fear
that she would suffer want, and asking
if Mr., Beecher wouldn't please take
her and take care of her, too, as his
mamma was poor and he hadn't any
money.
Uncle Sam took the letter, and in
due time delivered it to the great
preacher in the East.
Can we not imagine the tender smile
and the glistening eye with which he
read it and the promptness with which
he penned the answer? Would that l
could give you the exact words of the
letter. The following is its substance:
&C l am glad there is boy in Indiana
who thinks enough of his cat to take so
much trouble to provide it a home, and
l hope he will always be as kind to all
dumb and helpless creatures.
Certainly, 1 will take pussy, and
will not begrudge to pay the eXpressage.
Box her up carefully, leaving plenty of
openings, for the Journey. Direct the
box to me, and ship it by the nearest
express. | will write you when it ar
rives."
So pussy was duly encased, directed
to Rev. II. w. Beecher, Peekskill, n.
Y, and started upon her Journey.
The story quickly took wing and she
received royal care as she passed from
the hands of one express agent to
another in travelling eastward. AT last
she reached Peekskill, and the news of
her approach having preceded her a
grand deputation of Peekskill boys
awaited her arrival at the depot and
escorted the express wagon in which
she was as it ratified up the hill.
Mr.. Beecher was summoned to re-
ceive his c. O. d. package of cat, and
the box being opened in the presence
of the assembled family, pussy was re-
leased from her long confinement. But
alas for her peace of mind! As she
stepped out of the box and looked Won
deringly upon her new surroundings a
little dog charged upon her with a loud
bark and hunted her up tree.
What welcome for cat that had
come all the way from Indiana! What
conduct for Mr.. Beecher's dog! Can it
be that he had imbibed so little of the
spirit of his master, or did he merely
too loudly express the cordially of his
welcome? However that may have
been, the result was the same: the
cat was up the tree; the dog was
barking at its foot. 1t was easy to call
off the dog. 1t was not easy to call
down the cat, for she was wild with
terror at the strange faces and noisy
welcome. All Establishments failed.
In vain her host called" Pussy, pussy
good pussy nice pussy! pretty pussy!"
In vain her hostess piled her with tempt
ing tidbits from the pantry. Pussy was
aloft, and pussy stayed there.
What was to be done? If left to her.
self she would doubtless come down
in time, and as doubtless would run
away and never be seen again. Why
save a cat from vagabondage in Indiana
to allow her to become tramp in
Peekskill? Something must be done
But what?
AT last there came suggestion;
Climb the tree, and bring her down."
Good advice, but hard to execute.
Who should undertake the task? Not
surely any of the women of the house
hold, nor yet the Rev. Dominic. Climb
ing trees was not as easy to him as
soaring to mountain heights of oratory.
A council was held and a messenger
dispatched for the farmer. Mr., Tur-
ner was, think, his name. He of the
mighty limb and brawny arm came, re-
sponsive to the call. The tree was
scaled. The cat was caught and duly
handed to her new master A very
nice gray and white cat" he pro-
nounced her, and forthwith dubbed
her the IIoosier cat"
Happily she was sensible cat as
well as a handsome one, and, appreci-
ating the kindness which was lavished
upon her, made friends with the other
cats and settled down to enjoy life in
her new home.
True to his word, Mr.. Beecher wrote
the little western boy most character
istic account of her arrival and recep-
ton. If the boy is living now doubtless
the letter is one of his cherished
treasures.
So endeth the story of the Hoosier
cat. Ellen Bertha Bradley, in the
Christian Union.